Everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock (Matthew 7: 24-25)
Today is the National Day of Prayer.
As we seek to build our lives on the rock of Jesus, prayer is, as Jesus commands, vital to our ability to do so. He says that we who act on his words of hope and promise will find security and strength in God. This is, as Luther says, most certainly true.
Luther wrote the hymn, A Mighty Fortress is Our God. In this hymn, Luther paints the dramatic image of God as the place of refuge and safety and security in our lives. It is a powerful image of a stronghold where we can find solace amidst stress and anxiety and pain and suffering.
I think of this when I engage our reading today. As we follow the teachings of Jesus, we enter the stronghold of God. We take up residence in the mighty fortress of grace, mercy, forgiveness and love. When the flood of fear and the winds of worry seek to overtake us, then we can dare to trust that we will not fall.
These words from Jesus today come near the end of his sermon. And rightfully so. After speaking life-giving words of promise and challenge and hope and blessing, Jesus says that they make no difference in our lives unless we internalize them and act because of them.
As we do, we will find that the uncertainty of life will be met by the assurance of faith.
Mighty God, may we find our security fully in you. Amen.
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